Advanced Practice (AP)
What is Advanced Practice?
Advanced Practice (AP) is a level of practice characterised by a high degree of autonomy and complex decision making. It is designed to transform and modernise pathways of care, enabling the safe and effective sharing of skills across traditional professional boundaries within clinical professions such as nursing, pharmacy, paramedics, and occupational therapy.
Advanced practitioners (APs) are healthcare professionals, educated to Master’s level or equivalent, with the skills and knowledge to allow them to expand their scope of practice to better meet the needs of the people they care for. To find out more about APs visit the NHS England's Centre for Advance Practice page.
A detailed definition of Advanced Practice, its underpinning standards and governance, can be found in the Multi-professional Framework for Advanced Practice in England. The framework ensures there is national consistency in the level of practice across multi-professional roles that is clearly understood by the public, advanced practitioners, their colleagues, education providers and employers.
NHS England (NHSE) have put together a handbook with advice for organisations looking to implement Advanced Practice. Please have a read through the handbook, which answers frequently asked questions.
Advanced Practice Training Pathways
Employers are invited to put forward requests for funding under the training pathways outlined below.
NHSE intends, subject to budget signoff, to provide funding as detailed:
Training pathway | Tuition fees (paid by NHSE directly to Higher Education Institutions) | Supervision fee (paid to employer via the NCL Training Hub)
|
| N/A (paid by the employer through the apprenticeship levy) | £6,000 per annum |
| Full tuition fees for a period of up to 3 years practice | £2,500 per annum |
| Tuition fees named modules as agreed between HEE and the employer. Modules must be completed within the academic year and must upskill the individual to fully meet the Multi-Professional ACP Framework | N/A |
Apprenticeships offer structured training with an employer & lead to nationally recognised qualifications.
The trainee is an employee and receives a salary throughout the programme. This is paid by the employer.
Cost of the programme delivered by the university is £12,000. This can be paid for through the apprenticeship levy.
For non-levy paying organisations they can either reserve funds (95% of costs paid with 5% contribution from the employer) or a receive a levy transfer if available (100% of costs paid). NCL Training Hub Apprenticeship colleagues can support with this process: nclicb.nclthapprenticeships@nhs.net.
£6,000 supervision fee - For organisations who utilise the apprenticeship levy for funding of programme fees, NHSEs contribution to workplace supervision will be increased to £6,000. This is available for each new and continuing student undertaking a programme of study in the 2025/26 academic year and will be paid to employers after the named individual student has enrolled.
From 1 January 2026, Level 7 apprenticeships will only be funded for people aged 16-21, and people under 25 who are care leavers and those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) at the start of their apprenticeship programme in England. This will impact the Advanced Practitioner apprenticeship route which is a Level 7 apprenticeship and will no longer be funded through the apprenticeship levy from January 2026. Please read more here.
NHSE funding for Advanced Practice programmes is limited and therefore employers are encouraged to utilise apprenticeship programmes where available and consider this training pathway as their primary option.
This will enable support to be provided for an increased number of applicants and access to a higher supervision fee of £6,000 a year. This supervision fee is available for each new and continuing student undertaking a programme of study in the 2025/26 academic year and will be paid to employers after the named individual student has enrolled. Employers should ensure that individuals put on to an apprenticeship route are committed to completing the full programme.
Eligibility/entry requirements
To be eligible for government funding, at the start of the apprenticeship, apprentices must:
Be 16+ years old
Not already be in full-time education
Have the right to live and work in England*
Be one of the following*:
a citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) (including other countries determined within the EEA or those with bilateral agreements), or have the right of abode in the UK, and have been ordinarily resident in the EEA (including other countries determined within the EEA or those with bilateral agreements), for at least the previous three years on the first day of learning;
a non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the start of learning.
*NB For a full list of eligibility criteria including exceptions with regards to refugee visas view the below
As well as meeting the eligibility criteria, applicants will need:
To hold a degree from a UK university or equivalent, or, if they are a registered non-graduate practitioner, be able to demonstrate equivalent academic ability and professional experience. Applicants with non-European academic qualifications will need to supply evidence of equivalency through NARIC / ENIC.
English and maths functional skills at Level 2 or equivalent. If an apprentice doesn’t hold an English and maths level 2 certificate, they must achieve these qualifications before they can be admitted to the end-point assessment to complete their apprenticeship programme. Find out more about Functional Skills.
Current registration with one of the statutory regulators of health and care professions.
Employment as a healthcare professional in an appropriate setting on a minimum contract, normally of 30 hours per week.
Evidence of their employer’s recommendation for their application for a programme of study leading to an advanced practice role. This will include a formal reference from the employer confirming the applicant:
Demonstrates professional values and behaviours
Respects people’s diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, values and preferences
Shows respect and empathy acting as a role model for others, and
Has ‘clinical readiness’ to undertake the programme.
Evidence of employer support to undertake the programme, including:
The provision of an appropriate mentor to ensure relevant learning in practice
The availability of appropriate supervision in clinical practice
For the Non-Medical Prescribing (NMP) module, the provision of a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP).
Normally a minimum of two years post-qualification experience in the workplace.
The MSc qualification pathway includes the following incentives:
University fees paid fully by NHSE to the HEI for a period of up to 3 years practice
£2,500 supervision fee for organisations who utilise this route
Eligibility criteria
To apply, you will need to:
Hold a degree in a health-related discipline. Applicants with evidence of equivalent professional development or academic proficiency will be considered. Applicants with non-European academic qualifications will need to supply evidence of equivalency through UK ENIC (formally NARIC).
Be currently registered with one of the statutory regulators of health and care professions.
Be employed as a primary care organisation.
Provide evidence of your employer’s recommendation for your application for a programme of study leading to an Advanced Practice role, including a formal reference from the employer confirming the applicant demonstrates professional values and behaviours, respecting people’s diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, values and preferences, and shows respect and empathy acting as a role model for others. It should also confirm your ‘clinical readiness’ to undertake the programme.
Show evidence of employer support to undertake the programme including; the provision of a mentor to ensure appropriate learning in practice; the availability of appropriate supervision in clinical practice; and the provision of a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) with evidence of a qualification at level 7 during the Non-Medical prescribing module.
Have relevant post-qualification experience, as specified by the appropriate regulatory body.
How long does it take?
It is expected that most students will complete the qualification in the minimum time of approximately 2.5 years by studying 60 credits a year, but there is flexibility to take up to four years to complete.
Only top-up module requests for conversion of NHSE-funded PGDip’s to the full MSc will be funded by NHSE.
Any requests for stand-alone modules that could complete established APs’ mapping of capabilities against the domains of the Multi Professional Framework for Advanced Practice would be directed to the national ePortfolio (Supported) Route process to receive recognition by the Centre of Advancing Practice.
Please contact the team to find out how to apply.
About the ePortfolio Route
The ePortfolio (supported) Route has been specifically designed to enable recognition with the Centre for Advancing Practice of existing, experienced advanced practitioners, who at the time of the expression of interest, are working clinically in advanced practitioner roles on a regular basis, and who have already completed their advanced practice experiential and educational learning mostly before 2017 when NHSE’s Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England was published.
Completing the ePortfolio (supported) Route is voluntary, but Centre for Advancing Practice created the process for recognition of advanced practitioners for quality assurance purposes to ensure a consistent approach to the urgent need to recognise the experience, knowledge, and skills of existing, experienced advanced practitioners in the workforce. The components and processes of the ePortfolio (supported) Route act as an assurance for the Centre that applicants for the Route are experienced advanced practitioners who have demonstrated the development of the capabilities outlined in the Multi-professional framework (2017).
To date, three cohorts of applicants are working through the ePortfolio (supported) Route. The Centre has opened an Expressions of Interest (EOI) form to gauge the level of demand for future cohorts - this is being kept open (there's no deadline to apply) so that practitioners, with support from their organisational advanced practice lead, can submit their EOIs throughout the year. The Centre will then contact the applicant once future Cohorts dates are available.
Any specific questions about the ePortfolio route can be directed to england.acpenquirieslondon@nhs.net.
Training pathway | Tuition fees (paid by NHSE directly to Higher Education Institutions) | Supervision fee (paid to employer via the NCL Training Hub)
|
AP MSc qualification | Full tuition fees for a period of up to 3 years practice | £2,500 per annum |
AP Apprenticeship | N/A (paid by the employer through the apprenticeship levy) | £6,000 per annum |
AP Portfolio Route: Top-up modules | Tuition fees named modules as agreed between NHSE and the employer. Modules must be completed within the academic year and must upskill the individual to fully meet the Multi-Professional ACP Framework | N/A |
NHSE Conditions for AP Funding
Learners
Funding is provided for programmes of accredited academic study for staff who are already registered as nurses, midwives, pharmacists or AHPs to train as APs.
This is a specific offer to develop the AP workforce. It cannot be replaced by an equivalent offer of funding for other activity.
The AP trainee should be undergoing training in line with the NHSE Multi-Professional Advanced Clinical Practice Framework.
For new AP trainees, a full pathway (MSc or apprenticeship) should be undertaken rather than single modules.
Staff supported by this funding must be academically eligible and ready to start a course in line with the appropriate academic year.
Employers
Should be able to articulate a clear case for the AP role, demonstrating that it is an organisational priority in line with their workforce transformation plans and service requirements.
Should, wherever possible, be able to articulate how new AP numbers connect to system level recovery priorities
Should be able to provide assurance that there will be an AP post on completion of training. This is necessary to avoid investing in the upskilling of staff who cannot then put their advanced skills into practice.
Must identify an appropriately trained supervisor who will be able to apply the Principles of the Workplace Supervision for Advanced Practice Framework and the Minimum Expected Standards of Supervision.
The expectation is that AP trainees will have supervision over the course of their training adhering to the principles of the NHSE Quality Framework, Multi-Professional Advanced Practice Framework and The Minimum Expected Standards for Supervision for all learners. This should include provision of a suitable workplace-based learning environment and opportunities to gain competence across the 4 pillars of advanced practice (clinical practice, leadership/management, research, and education).
Provide sufficient study leave for university training. It should not be expected that AP trainees take unpaid or annual leave for dedicated training days.
Encourage trainees, Supervisor and AP leads to engage with and complete the NHSE’s National Education and Training Survey (NETS) and any other call to action communications received.
Ensure that supervision funding is completed and returned to NHSE upon request.
Where these conditions are not met, funding may be discontinued. In the unlikely event of recurrent failures to provide AP trainees with appropriate support, future ACP funding may be fully withdrawn from the employer.
Applying for Advanced Practice
We are now accepting Expressions of Interest from employers throughout the year. Your application should be timed to allow for approximately 60 days before the deadline to apply to your chosen Higher Education Institution (HEI).
Supporting an employee to apply for AP training should be a strategic decision, informed by extensive planning, preparation and a state of readiness.
NHSE designed dedicated checklists for AP candidates, employers and workplace supervisors to enable both the organisation- and individual-level readiness to apply.
You should also consult the Extra resources tab (below) for links to NHSE films and podcasts that can help with preparing.
For AP candidates
If you are aspiring to be an advanced practitioner or are already in post and applying for funding to complete your advanced practice MSc, it is important to understand the expectations and commitment needed to train for this role.
The following checklist is for aspiring and trainee advanced practitioners to self-assess their readiness for advanced practice training.
For Employers
Trainees on AP pathways require regular educational and workplace supervision, opportunities for work-based learning across the four pillars of advanced practice and adequate study leave throughout their educational programmes.
Workforce planning is essential to ensuring the success of AP training and reduce the risks of individuals withdrawing from programmes and workforce attrition. In order to support organisations with their workforce planning, NHSE have developed the Readiness Checklist to assist you in considering the infrastructure needed to fully support AP trainees.
For AP Supervisors
Supervision is an essential element of training to be an advanced practitioner. If you have been asked to supervise a trainee advanced practitioner, it is important to ensure you have the experience, knowledge, and expertise to provide good quality supervision. Use the Supervisor readiness checklist to self-audit:
For support with preparing your organisation for AP, contact the centralised NCL ACP inbox.
Please follow the steps below to apply:
AP Expression of Interest form - to be completed online by the employer
The 'Readiness to become an Advanced Practitioner' checklist - to be completed by the individual clinician/learner being put forward for the AP, in close collaboration with their employer.
The Primary Care Employer Readiness Checklist - to be completed by the employer
NB Evidence of every criterion being met, is not necessary, with the exception of confirming the organisation has:an executive sponsor for AP,
a named supervisor
an AP role at the completion of training.
The 'Supervisor readiness' checklist - to be completed by the employer and the nominated supervisor
Once you've submitted the EOI online, email a copy of the three documents above (step 2,3,4) to the centralised NCL AP inbox.
All EOIs will be reviewed by the NCL AP Lead to quality assure that the application meets the NHSE requirements. Once approved, an EOI will be centrally submitted to NHSE by the NCL Training Hub.
Applicants will be contacted about the result of the review/next steps via email.
To find out more about the application process, contact the centralised NCL ACP inbox.
Workplace supervision
NHSE'S Workplace Supervision for Advanced Practice - the publication sets out seven fundamental considerations which underpin supervision in advanced practice. It also draws on these fundamentals to describe what is required to:
establish the requirements of multi-professional advanced practitioner supervision
establish the training and development of supervisors
improve consistency and limit supervision practice variation across the health and care sector through a combination of a Coordinating Education Supervisor and Associate Supervisors matched to specialty knowledge and skills development.
ensure supervision with a focus on professional and public safety in advanced clinical practice.
Minimum standards for supervision
The following guidance is for supervisors, managers, employers, and trainee advanced practitioners to advise of the NHSE's Centre for Advancing Practice minimum expected standards for supervision.
Are you an Advanced Nurse Practitioner working in NCL?
Here's an opportunity to meet other ANP’s across NCL. This space will give you the chance you to:
Build your network
Celebrate success
Reflect on challenges
Share experiences and learning
Listen to NHSE's Advanced Practice Weekly Podcast - A podcast on Anchor
Watch a series of films talking through the AP role, the vision, service development and workforce planning across the health and care system as well as one-to-one interviews with APs in practice or training.
Visit the NHSE Centre for Advanced Practice
View the NHSE AP Toolkit for general information about advanced practice for employers, educators, and employees.
Credible governance of the processes for developing and implementing advanced practice in health and care provider organisations is central to the safe, effective and successful employment of advanced practitioners.
NHSE have developed a maturity matrix which health and care organisations across all settings can formatively self-assess their progress on the governance of advanced practice against each domain, which will then indicate whether they are making either early progress, substantial progress, or are mature in the governance of advanced practice within their organisation.
Governance of advanced practice in health and care provider organisations - Advanced Practice
The NHS Long-Term Plan highlights how advanced clinical practice is central to helping transform service delivery and better meet local health needs by providing enhanced capacity, capability, productivity and efficiency within multi-professional teams.
Developing advanced clinical practice roles, as well as the level of practice just below and above ACP level should be considered a key component of contemporary workforce planning, as described in the NHS Long Term Plan.
Supervisor funding will be split into two payments over the year. Communications will be sent when submissions are required and tuition fees are paid directly to the HEI by NHSE.
If you have any queries, please email: nclicb.haringeyth.finance@nhs.net and include host practice name, name of the AP and the academic year covered.